Man in fiery crash dies

FIRE: The van burst into flames after flipping and coming to a stop in a ditch beside the road.

DANIEL TOBIN

REMAINS: The burnt out van, which came to rest 100 metres from where it left the road.

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A man has died after his car crashed and burst into flames on State Highway 1 south of Christchurch.

The man, believed to be aged in his 60s, crashed into a ditch near Parkins Rd, south of Dunsandel, about 9am today.

Police sergeant Paul Piper said the van, in which the man was travelling, flipped became airborne and rolled before bursting into flames. It had left the road 100 metres from where it came to rest, just short of the railway tracks.

Passers-by pulled the man from the wreckage moments before it became engulfed in flames. They tried to revive him but were unable to do so.

It is not clear whether the man died from his injuries in the crash or from a medical event prior to the crash.

No other vehicles were involved.

State Highway 1 had been reduced to one lane and a detour was in place via Old South Rd.

The detour across a shingle road was creating dust clouds, which may have contributed to a minor crash in which a car hit a fence.

Police said there was a significant backlog of vehicles and motorists could expect delays for at least an hour.